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Cosmopolitan Associates, Inc., an organization of World War II war brides, was founded in 1950 by Enid Kathleen Brazil Wood and Judy Bond Ward, both Englishwomen who had married American servicemen. The purpose of the organization was to charter airline flights to Europe so war brides living in the U.S. could visit their families overseas, at a time when flying on commercial airlines was prohibitively expensive and private parties were not permitted to charter flights. Wood served as President for more than 30 years, and Bond as Vice-President, and the two were assisted by a dedicated team of national officers. Cosmopolitan Associates evolved over 25 years to include many other ways of supporting war brides, with 6,000 members in 90 chapters across the U.S. The organization is still in existence, however its mission has changed over the years to be more of a social club operating out of New Jersey. Membership now includes immigrant women in the U.S.
In her youth, Enid Wood was a champion swimmer. She married Charles C. Wood with who she had two sons, Glenn and Keith. Enid Wood left Cosmopolitan Associates in 1978 to start her own travel business, Enid's Travel Desk. in the 1970s.
The Cosmopolitan Associates Records contain primarily monthly newsletters (1953-1978). There are also histories, photographs, clippings, printed materials, and a video biography of co- founder Enid K. Wood.
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The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection.
This collection has not been fully processed and therefore may be difficult to use.
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Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:
Cosmopolitan Associates, Inc. Records, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
Periodic additions to collection are expected and may not be reflected in this record.
The first installment of the Cosmopolitan Associates, Inc. Records was donated to the Sophia Smith Collection by Kathleen Porter and Enid Wood in 2009.
Accessioned by Burd Schlessinger, 2009.